Page 68 - Sustaining Accommodation SMES

6Analysis

flows. Retrofitting such buildings to meet iso 21401 environmental re-
quirements incurs substantially higher capital expenditure than design-
ing new sustainability into greenfield properties – a contextual constraint
particularly acute for smes with limited access to capital.
Furthermore, the survey revealed that 46.0 of respondents oper-
ate under a logic of specialised labour, with clear departmental divi-
sions. Whilst operationally efficient, this structure can hinder the cross-
functional integration required by holistic Sustainability Management
Systems. Energy reduction, waste minimisation, and water stewardship
require coordinated action across housekeeping, kitchen, maintenance,
and front-of-house operations. In specialised structures, such integra-
tion requires explicit coordination mechanisms and formal communica-
tion protocols-administrative overhead that Stern’s (2000) framework
identifies as a Contextual Barrier. Conversely, 54.0 operate under a
logic of flexible multitasking, where individual staff members perform
multiple functions. This structure enables rapid decision-making and
adaptation but diffuses responsibility for sustainability objectives across
numerous role boundaries, making systematic implementation more
challenging.
The sample’s environmental positioning is shaped by geography: 52.1
(n = 110) are located in predominantly coastal areas, placing them on the
frontline of climate change impacts-rising sea levels, increased storm in-
tensity, water scarcity exacerbated by tourism demand, and ecosystem
degradation. These properties face both existential risk and operational
vulnerability, creating both urgency and practical pressure for climate
adaptation (Saarinen et al., 2021).
Regarding formal sustainability engagement, 57.3 of respondents re-
ported holding some form of environmental label or certification (Green
Key, Travelife, Green Globe, eu Ecolabel, or national certifications), and
62.6 indicated having a formal sustainability strategy or action plan.
Thesefigures suggest theawareness phasehas been largely achieved: the
sector is not ignorant of sustainability imperatives. Rather, the sector
is in the difficult phase of operationalising commitments into the rig-
orous, documented systems required by iso 21401 (International Or-
ganization for Standardization, 2024). This observation aligns with the
‘attitude-behaviour gap’ extensively documented in environmental psy-
chology, demonstrating that awareness and stated intentions do not au-
tomatically translate into systematic, documented, continuously improv-
ing practice (Juvan & Dolnicar, 2016). The presence of environmental

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